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President John F. Kennedy greeting Peace Corps volunteers, Aug. 28, 1961. Abbie Rowe, photographer. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

50th anniversary Peace Corps items go to Smithsonian

Tom Hoepf
Tom Hoepf
President John F. Kennedy greeting Peace Corps volunteers, Aug. 28, 1961. Abbie Rowe, photographer. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
President John F. Kennedy greeting Peace Corps volunteers, Aug. 28, 1961. Abbie Rowe, photographer. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Peace Corps is donating objects from volunteers to the political history collections of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.

The donated items include brochures, posters and correspondence from volunteers who have served around the world over the past 50 years. The collection includes a congratulatory letter from the White House signed by President John F. Kennedy, who created the Peace Corps.

The museum also will receive a sign that hung at the original Peace Corps office in Ghana, the first country to host Peace Corps volunteers.

The Peace Corps is celebrating its 50th anniversary.

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